Ministers, UNHRC officials tour over E54m refugee camp project
NDZEVANE – Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe yesterday led a high level mission delegation from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
This was during the tour of in touring the refurbishment of the Ndzevane Refugee Camp and over 200 hectares of agricultural land to be funded for US$2 741 615 (E54 832 300). The land will be used for sugar cane production, banana plantation, beans production and maize crop production.
The delegation further toured the dilapidated structures of the camp that is set to accommodate 50 households to be relocated from the Malindza Camp once it has been renovated. UNHCR has partnered with World Vision as implementers of the agricultural projects and renovation of the structures. The Ministry of Agriculture handed over the land to be used for agricultural production by the refugees.
Also gracing the event was Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr Tambo Gina, Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka, Home Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Nhlanhla Nxumalo, Agriculture PS Sydney Simelane, Lubombo Regional Administrator Themba Msibi and Commissioner of Refugees Zanele Mlambo.
The diplomats comprised of Ambassador of Chile in the Republic of South Africa Julio Fiol, Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria Victor Sambuanga, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency Abukan Abdulkadir, Nayeli Designation, Cooperation, Cultural and Media Office in the Embassy of Mexico Cecena Alvarez and Charge D’ Affaires of Human Rights and Refugee and Migration Focal Point in the European Union delegation in Eswatini Robert Adam.
UNHCR representatives were Igor Ciobanu, Jesus Perez Sanchez, Elema Fulam, Zoleka Katambo and Mbali Mushatama. Welcoming the dignitaries, Lubombo RA Msibi thanked the minister and the UNHCR delegation for resuscitating the structures in ensuring that they accommodate more refugees.
Msibi welcomed the dignitaries and thanked them for supporting this initiative aimed at empowering the refugees and Ndzevane community through the agricultural projects that will enhance their living standards. The RA urged the community to collectively work with the implementers of the projects. “We are so excited that refugees will now not only be accommodated, but also empowered with skills to generate income through their involvement in agricultural projects,” he said.
The minister said she was grateful for the fruitful deliberations that have taken place between her ministry and relevant stakeholders on the successful implementation of the Ndzevane Refugee Project, including the host communities, refugees and potential partners.
THANKED
The princess thanked UNHCR, implementing partner World Vision and officials for the hard work in developing the project proposal and organising the high level mission. She narrated that the Ndzevane Refugee Settlement consists of three farms under Farm 1 085, which were utilised by the ministry to host Mozambican refugees during the Mozambican Civil War that took place from 1977 to 1992.
The minister highlighted that the settlement was a home away from home, to between 25 000 and 40 000 asylum seekers and refugees. The princess shared that the settlement was then closed after the repatriation of the refugees due to a cessation clause that was invoked as a result of peace that was then obtaining in Mozambique. She mentioned that the farm had remained unutilised since then, due to the reduced number of refugees in the kingdom and the fact that the ministry encourages refugees to integrate into main stream society so as to be able to be self –reliant thus only the vulnerable were hosted at the Malindza Reception Centre.
Adding, the minister stated that in 2019, the ministry pledged 1 095 hectares of the Ndzevane land to be used by the people for agricultural projects in improving their livelihoods aimed at the economic integration of refugees and the host communities.
Furthermore, she said the pledge was in response to the two global initiatives called by the New York Declaration for refugees and migrants which addressed the question of large movements of refugees and migrants which culminated in the global compact on refugees (GCR). “The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) was then established whose blueprint allows states and other actors to come together to share good practices and pledge to contribute with financial support, technical expertise, material support and policy commitments to help reach the goals of the GCR,” she said.
The minister highlighted that government and UNHCR could not efficiently carry out the mandate of offering the people for international protection hence bringing a wide range of participants including civil society, private actors, faith based organisations, municipalities and refugee-led or other humanitarian organisations as partners to address refugee issues.
She elaborated: “Responsibility sharing ensures that host communities get the support they need and that refugees can lead productive lives. This project will present the people we care for with a
chance for opportunities to be self-reliant and use their talents to contribute to the communities welcoming them.”
The minister stated that emaSwati were encouraged to do more to give refugees more hope and opportunities while they were away from home.
Decongesting
She mentioned that she envisaged that the facilities within the settlement such as the Ndzevane Primary and High School and the clinic will be fully utilised by the refugees that will soon be resettled with another aim of decongesting Malindza Reception Centre. “The ministry re-affirms its commitment to improving the welfare of refugees in Eswatini. We look forward to continued collaborations with the UN family, civil society, private sector, donors and importantly the refugees,” the minister said.
Minister of Agriculture Tshawuka said 100 hectares will be used for cane growing, 30 hectares for maize production and the rest for beans and goat rearing.
UNHCR Deputy Representative Igor Ciobanu said the project will be a success as there were more pledges made by international partners. “It will be implemented with passion,” he said.
World Vision Eswatini National Director Tinah Mukunda shared that his organisation started to work with UNHCR in 2021. Mukunda stated that there were over 500 youth refugees who were keen to be trained in vocational skills. She said the relocation of the refugees was fundamental to curb against congestion. “Their children will also be afforded the chance to attend school as they are part of the community,” she said.
The UNHCR delegation went on to tour the structures to be revamped and the land allocated for the agricultural production.